On the off chance, I wanderd into Currys in the Strand, London WC2 on 14th Jan. They had 20 in stock, which, the sales chap said, they had in stock since before Xmas.

Might be worth giving them a bell?

I was talking today to my contact at Hughes, the large independant chain in East Anglia. Apparently they ordered 1,000 HD-R boxes on release in November, and started taking reservations. To date they have only recieved a fraction of that number and still have 690 orders waiting for stock. It seems amazing that we are being told that there is a credit crunch, and people are not buying. The problem seems to be that suppliers and importers are not shipping the stock for them to sell.

I can't seriously believe that anyone is claiming that nobody is buying them because of the credit crunch are they?

Sorry - just reread your post and realised you weren't claiming that either - must get more sleep

I've just ordered one from Comet online for my old man scheduled for delivery in the Midlands next Tuesday (27th Jan.).

Also he spoke to Argos yesterday and they told him they're due 1500 in about 3 days. We didn't wait just in case!

Humax's distribution seems a complete disaster, I very much doubt anyone will give them exclusive rights in the future.

Incidently, Panasonics exclusive IDTV distribution is now over, so other IDTV's should be appearing in the near future (LG have already been mentioned here).

Forgive my ignorance, but to what do Humax have exclusive rights?

I thought they just happened to be the first to launch (with all the problems new launches have) a Freesat HD PVR before anyone else. I assume they didn't have exclusivity to the bog standard HD Freesat box either.

Only 4 manufacturers signed a licence with Freesat last year - and then Sagem (I think) dropped out. Of the 3 left Panasonic were doing an IDTV (only) and Humax the only PVR. It was claimed that each would have a 6-month "exclusive" window - but how this is calculated isn't known!

Basically you are correct in any event - no other manufacturer was willing to do a PVR on Freesat's terms.

So I assume Metronics must be one of the 4 then.

"Metronic have also confirmed that they are developing a Freesat+ PVR and that it’s due for release hopefully in April 2009"

Maybe the 6 month window is correct as April is just 6 about months after Humax launched theirs in Novemeber

No! - I think they are the first of the one(s) to get a later licence from Freesat. I should have said that the original 4 (down to 3 after one pulled out) were signed up "for launch".

No, he meant the year before - Sagem, Alba, Panasonic, and Humax were the original four. A few more signed up last year as well, but were restricted by the six month exclusive deals.


I would imagine the six months started from the launch of Freesat, not when Humax eventually released a PVR.

Comet are now showing in stock again but you cannot get delivery before 27th. This matches a reply I received from John Lewis in they expect a large delivery on 26th from Humax.

Seems a bit cheeky that Comet are showing in stock when they probably don't.

They have also increased their price back up to £299.

Just updated the blog post, Argos now appear to have stock despite what it says!

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.p...r-availability

Yes just had an email from Argos saying ok for home delivery (2 days) but none in stores yet.Have ordered one with delivery on thurs.

And already, Argos is out of stock again. What a pile of horsepap this is.

Arrived 7.25am. AOK sofar. Very pleased.

Maplins say they have stock now

Thank you - just ordered mine from Maplin

John Lewis called this morning to take payment for my pre-order as my box was in stock in the Northampton warehouse. It's 5-7 days for delivery - in this day and age!

According to Argos website, stores in Westcountry will have stocks from mid-next week.

Managed to pick one up today at one of my local Curry's. I called in on the way home from work just to ask when they were expecting them in. After the salesman had asked one of his collegues who said he thought they had a delivery today, It turned out they hadnt but they had one out back which someone had researved but not collected so they said I could have that one. Just got to wait to Wednesday now for the dish to be installed.

On the subject of Humax having exclusive rights to the Freesat PVR, Maplins are advertising this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=228255 tho that is also out of stock at the moment and I am not sure if it is Freesat EPG compatible.

Topfield are not licensed to product Freesat products yet. Humax don't have any exclusive rights now, it is just that no manufacturer has yet produced a product to meet the specification. I know from personal experience that it isn't easy.

Bob

If it doesn't say so, then it's not.

JUST had an email from Argos (i asked them to keep me informed) stock now in for home delivery, although the website shows out of stock. Maybe they havn't caught up yet.

Does anyone know what the situation is with maplin, I placed a pre-order on the 13th after hearing they would have a delivery that week and then another the week after. The website has shown in stock a few times and I've emailed them twice asking when they will have stock but no response.

Does anyone have any info.

Matt